Shrouded Peril
by Lady Katharine Heartspark
Summary: After the Scanran War, the knights of Tortall a bit purposeless, including Kel. Numair's death causes her to be sent to investigate a strange vibe from across the ocean with only two companions: Evin Larse and a powerful mage that reminds her of Joren...
1. Passage

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WELCOME. To the new epic story of Lady Katharine Heartspark, an angel who did not so much fall as saunter vaguely downwards. Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle, because it's going to be rough.

Thank god for craziness. Writing the story in which I get trapped in my story has totally awakened my penchant for writing again. So everyone, be happy!

Read the story! Love the story!

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to me. *receives swift kick in nether regions* I mean, nothing belongs to me (yet) but the plot. And Lady Stacia. Except sort of not that either, because that's Stacey, but whatever tickles your pickle. If we really want to get all technical I guess I don't own Lady Stacia either. So there.

Much thanks to Rosefyre, who helped me conceive the plot and work out the problems, and to Arsahi, who came up with the first line and therefore the beginning of the story.

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Passage

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"Well, he got the mustard out," Owen muttered to Kel as he slid in next to her in the mess hall.

Kel hid a snicker. "He was certainly in the washroom long enough. Is he coming back?"

Owen shook his head, gnawing on a hunk of bread. "Not immediately. There's a giant wet spot on his breeches now. That lady really got it everywhere. He's going back to his rooms to change."

Kel grinned. "Really makes you wonder what he said to her. Usually, Lady Stacia is quite even-tempered."

Owen shook his head again, this time in amused disbelief. "He told me what he said."

Raising her eyebrows, Kel looked at him. "And?"

"We decided no one else should ever know," Owen stated solemnly.

Kel laughed, and took another bite out of her sandwich.

A few minutes later, Neal sauntered sullenly back into the dining hall, taking care to avoid a certain table filled with the ladies of Court. As he passed along the far wall, several teenage ladies turned and glared at him. Neal glared back, grabbed his tray, and shoved it down across from Kel and Owen.

"Don't. Say. Anything," he muttered sulkily.

They didn't. They laughed.

Interrupting their laughter, the King stood up on the dais where he took lunch. The man immediately commanded everyone's attention with his regal appearance. Kel thought again, as she had many times, that Jonathan was born to be a king.

King Jonathan of Conte cleared his throat. He unfurled a long sheet of parchment, and began to speak. "Okay, knights of Tortall. By now, you know the drill. Here are today's assignments: Sir Jason of Aniha to Queensmercy. Sir Thomas of Avidale to Fernwood. Sir Christian of Balehead to Riversedge. Sir Hayden of Ytombe to–"

Knights whose names were called excused themselves from tables and rose, walking swiftly out of the dining hall. Kel had no idea what happened after that; she had never been assigned.

Kel sighed, tuning out the king's deep voice. Since the war with Scanra was over, most of the knights of Tortall had nothing to do on a day to day basis. To remedy that, Jonathan had instituted a methodic assigning of knights to villages or towns that needed help with something. It was still busywork for the knights, but even busywork was better than being bored.

The list was always alphabetical, and Kel listened with one ear – it took some time to get to Mindelan. Owen kept both eyes on the king; Jesslaw could sneak up on you if you didn't pay attention. Neal, with Queenscove, pushed his food around on his plate. A drop of mustard fell from his sandwich, and Kel snorted. Neal looked at her and scowled.

" –Sir Micael of Gracewold to Yanderly. Sir Colbert of–"

Kel lifted the mustard bottle and shook it. Neal glowered.

"–Sir Owen of Jesslaw to Haverton. Sir Ulein of Jorbain–"

"That's me," said Owen. He pushed back from the table and grabbed his tray. "See both of you later," he told them as he stood up. "Oh, and Neal..."

"Don't even say it."

"Have a nice day," Owen said, as innocent as an angel. He strode off purposefully.

The list continued. King Jonathan read in a monotone and Kel found her attention drifting. She yawned. The list skipped from Manhelm to Nevein, and Kel let her breath out in a whoosh.

King Jonathan continued to read, the noise of his voice buzzing through Kel's brain like a delirious bee. Around her, knights pushed back their chairs, excused themselves with polite voices, and rushed off to do... whatever it was they did after being chosen. Kel stared morosely at the table. Would she never be selected?

After the king had finished reading the entire list, Kel shoved herself away from the table without saying anything and quickly left the room. Neal, who hadn't been called either, looked after her with a worried frown, but understood that there was nothing he could do. Even he had been assigned more than once.

Kel receded into her rooms after lunch. Staring out the window, she allowed herself to wallow in self-pity. _It's just not fair,_ she thought, blinking back a tear. _I'm just as good as any of those other knights. I trained just as hard, I passed the Ordeal just the same — I'm probably even a better knight than most of those with the title. So why can't people just accept me?_

If she had been thinking like she normally did, she would have answered that question without a problem. People don't like change. It was a truth that Kel had had to come to grips with many times throughout her life.

A hesitant knock on the door disturbed Kel's thoughts. Blotting her face with the corner of her sleeve, she walked to the door and yanked it open.

A giant of a man stood in her doorway. Kel smiled shakily as she recognized her former knight-master, Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Mallory's Peak and Knight Commander of the King's Own. Normally, Raoul's black eyes had a glint of humor in them, but right now they were somber as stones.

"Keladry," he began. Kel swallowed. Whenever anyone used her full name, she knew something really awful was underway. "I've got something I need to tell you. You... may want to sit down."

Kel moved to a chair in a sort of a daze. _This must be really horrible_

"Kel, we've just learned that Numair has... Numair... It's been discovered that Numair has died."

Kel stared at him in shock, disbelieving. Numair had become one of her friends during the war — and now he was dead?

Raoul continued to speak. "He was found in his rooms this morning. The healers don't suspect anything amiss — it seems that his heart just... stopped. As best they can tell, he was scrying when he..." Raoul coughed. "I'll, um, leave you now." He stepped quietly out the door.

Kel raised a hand to her face, still unable to believe it. _Numair? Dead? It can't be possible! I just saw him yesterday! We talked about the weather!_ she thought, stunned. Slowly, the realization of truth set in, and she let tears slowly trickle down her face.

***

The service for Numair was held the next morning. Kel stood close to the front in the temple, watching apathetically as the priests blessed Numair's body for the last journey he would make.

Kel raised her eyes from the floor to look at Daine. Numair's lover was inconsolable, her slim frame racked by sobs. Her heaving cries rang through the chapel as the priests lit the funeral pyre. Daine broke down in front of the Court, and had to be escorted back to her room by her closest friends.

Having changed from her formal clothes and back into her normal attire, Kel sat at the bench during lunch, haphazardly pushing her food around on her plate. The list was brought out, the king's voice droned on, and once again Mindelan was bypassed.

With the list drawing to a close, Kel readied herself for a quick getaway. She was brought to a sudden standstill when she heard the king announce, "And could Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan please meet me as soon as possible."

Confused, Kel cleared her place and went to meet the king.

"Ah, Keladry," said Jonathan cheerily when she walked up. "It seems we have finally found an assignment for you."

Kel stared at the man blankly. How could he be happy? His chief mage had just died!

"Before he... passed on, Numair alerted us to the fact that he detected a strange... well, a 'vibe' is what he called it. In any case, this vibe seemed to be emanating from the west — from Jindhazen, across the Emerald Ocean."

"And you think that this vibe killed Numair?" Kel prompted.

"Oh, Goddess, no!" Jon chuckled. "What a morbid mind, Keladry. Numair's death was just unfortunate. We just need a few people to go and make sure it's nothing to worry about. It's just a small group of people, each with their own talents. We've chosen you because... well..."

"No one else wants my help," Kel stated bluntly.

Jonathan looked embarrassed. "Not exactly, but close enough. But also because you're a fully trained knight, and you have worked with the King's Own. That gives you a unique way of looking at things than most knights. In any case – do you accept?"

What could she do?

"I accept, my liege," she said, kneeling as she had been taught.

"Ahh, good. Now then. I've prepared a sort of briefing—" He handed her scroll. "The sooner you start off, the better. I've notified the rest of your party — they can be ready by this afternoon. Will that work for you?" Kel nodded. "Good. Meet them at the North Gate by the fourth hour of the afternoon. Be ready for a ride. Good day, Lady Knight."

Kel nodded again, seeing the plain dismissal. _I've never really liked the king,_ she thought. _But now I have reason not to. He acted like Numair was just... just a small problem, not a real person who had died._ She shook those thoughts from her head and rushed off to pack, feeling just a small bit of excitement. At last, she had received her assignment!

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Phew. There we are. That took more energy than expected. Please review, you know I live for it!


	2. Outset

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Gah. You know what's really strange? Thinking about dogs. Like, seriously thinking about them. How they could almost be people, if they weren't dogs. And how they're hairy all over, and chase balls, and have no hands but they have almost human eyes, and just well, believe me, it's very strange. Especially if you think of them as unfortunate people, hairy all over from thousands of years of evolution. And it gets even weirder when you think about them being little hairy people, and how this little hairy person is skittering around your kitchen chasing ice cubes, and sleeping on your bed at night, and gah.

Well. That was strange. I hate it when my brain goes somewhere but leaves the rest of me behind.

Yay! New chapter! I'm suddenly back in the lands of the People-Who-Post, and better than ever! Once again, thank the gods for strange weird stories that I write late at night! With that one little chapter of Stuck in a NotMarySue my disinclination to write has shattered into a bajillion little pieces! Yay!

And I'm sorry, but I was not inclined to write Kel's farewells to her animal pals, i.e. dog and bird. Those always bug me in TP's books, and I'm sorry if they don't bug you, but I will write none of them. Just imagine her goodbyes in there somewhere.

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Outset

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Back in her room, Kel unfurled the scroll. It listed a short explanation of her mission – essentially the same as what King Jonathan had told her – as well as an itinerary and a short description of her two comrades.

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Goal: investigation of a strange emanation as discovered by the late Numair Salmalin, Black Robe mage. If applicable, de-activation of any threats facing the Kingdom of Tortall from the Empire of Jindhazen.

Itinerary: Meet at the North Gate by the fourth hour of afternoon on 22 February. Board the Sea's Daughter_ at midday on 24 February._

Kel was a little worried to see that that was the end of the itinerary, but decided it was just because the king didn't know how long she would be gone, not because he thought she wouldn't come back.

__

Your group:

Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan. 19 years. Former squire to Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak; therefore has been trained with the King's Own. Skilled with all manner of weapons. Traveled with the original Tortallan delegation to the Yamani Islands and consequently is skilled with several Yamani weapons, especially the glaive. Does well in commanding battle situations; is talented with improvised military tactics. Does well under pressure.

Coel Revin, Mage of the Brothers of the Sun Temple. 23 years. Trained in Tortall at the Brothers of the Sun Temple. Reached Gold Circle Adept level at age 17, making him fourth youngest ever to do so. Possesses a strong offensive Gift but is somewhat less powerful at defensive magic. Skilled with knives; proficient with several Shang moves as a priest at the Temple was the Shang Tiger. Works best when told what to do.

Evin Larse, Commander of the Queen's Riders. 25 years. Trained in the Queen's Riders as second-in-command under Buriram Tourakom of the K'mir. Possesses a truth crystal. Knows Player tricks, i.e. slight of hand and other small fancies. Skilled with a number of weapons; also trained in street fighting. Excellent horseman. Has innate skill with military strategy, both the conception and carrying out of.

Kel frowned. She did not like the fact that someone had studied her so thoroughly that they knew so much about her. However, she shoved her discomfort to the back of her mind and read over her companions again.

__

Mithros, she thought. _This Coel person was a Gold Circle mage at seventeen! He must have power that rivals Numair's!_

Kel choked inadvertently, and corrected herself mentally as tears stung her eyes. _Power that rivaled Numair's. Past tense._

She blinked hard, and moved on to her next companion. _Evin Larse,_ she thought vaguely. Kel had a hazy remembrance of seeing him once or twice. She only recalled a vague figure: blond hair and height.

Shaking herself, Kel briskly rolled up the scroll and tapped it against her thigh. _Well,_ she thought. _Off on a journey of oh, several hundred miles, with two people I've never spoken to before in my life. Should be a highly interesting trip._

Packing consisted of throwing a few tunics into a carry bag, slipping on her dagger and sword and strapping her bow and quiver onto her back. Finally, she grabbed her glaive, and held it perpendicular to the ground. Heaving a big sigh, Kel looked around, wracking her brain for anything she may have forgotten. Nothing came to mind. She turned on her toe and strode out of her room, locking the door behind her.

__

Neal, she suddenly realized. _Neal doesn't know I'm leaving._ Glancing out a window, she estimated it to be just past the third hour of the afternoon — she had an hour or so before she was supposed to meet the other two-thirds of her group. Quickly and with purpose, she strode down the hall towards Neal's chambers.

Knocking briskly at his door, she called out, "Neal, it's me."

From inside the room, she picked out a muffled "Shit!" Neal's voice rang out, somewhat hurried. "Just a second, love, I'm busy."

Kel rolled her eyes.

Several seconds later, Neal opened the door, looking disheveled and only wearing rumpled breeches. His hair was tousled and he was a little out of breath.

"By all means, Keladry, please come in," he said gallantly.

Quirking an eyebrow in a gesture she had picked up from him, Kel stepped into the room. She eyed the rumpled bedcovers with a wry good humor and caught a glimpse of a lady's shoe lying by the bed. Kel tried not to think about what he had been doing before she knocked.

"Was there a purpose to this oh-so-pleasant visit, Kel, or did you just feel like a bit of a chat?" Neal said, a tinge of impatience in his expression.

Kel spun on her heel to face him. "No, I have a point. I dropped by to tell you that I'm leaving."

Neal's impatience melted out of his eyes. "You're leaving? Where? _Why_?"

"I have to go. To Jindhazen. To check out this 'thing' Numair picked up on before" Her throat tightened. It was still hard to think about, even harder to talk about.

Neal pulled her into a comforting hug, and Kel closed her eyes against the warm familiarity of his shoulder. She still had not cried for Numair. Her unshed tears welled up in her throat like a ball of sap.

Swallowing, Kel continued, and Neal released her when she began talking again. "Anyway, the king put together a posse, and he wants us to leave straightaway. I thought you might want to know."

Neal nodded, then spoke. "Do you _want_ to go?" he asked, his eyes serious.

She shrugged. "It's better than staying around here, watching everyone else get assigned."

He nodded again, slowly. "This is true. Well, Kel, I wish you luck on your mission quest thing. And remember, as always, if you fail to return, I shall be _very_ put out."

Kel smiled and echoed him. "As always." He pulled her into another brief hug, and soon she pulled away and moved to the door.

With just a few steps until she exited the room, Kel paused and turned slowly around. "Oh, and Neal?"

"Yes, m'dear."

"People tend to notice a lady's absence in the middle of the afternoon. It seems more prudent to wait until at least twilight for your clandestine get-togethers."

A small giggle came from under the bed, and Kel raised her eyebrows. Neal grinned, the wide, wicked smile that still made her stomach flip. "I'll keep that in mind," he said. "And now, it is time for you to leave," he continued firmly. Planting a hand at the small of her back, he propelled her to the door.

Once she cleared the doorframe, he let go of her. Kel had just enough time to whirl around, twiddle her fingers and whisper "Have fun" before the door clicked shut. That noise was followed closely by the grating noise of the lock.

Kel turned away from the door, grinning. "Some things will never change," she said out loud to the empty hall, and went to saddle Peachblossom.

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Well, that's it for now. I was going to write more but then decided to post this bit, because I want to. Even though nothing really happens in it. But oh well. Next chapter: the journey begins! Yay!

And as always review, knaves! Or I shall tie you down and use thumbscrews on the lot of ye! *mutters darkly*


	3. Departure

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Yay! New chapter! Everyone give me three hip hip hoorays! Or not well, whatever. New chapter. Be happy.

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Departure

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Even from a hundred yards away, Kel could see the small group of people congregating by the North Gate. She whispered, "Go faster" to Peachblossom, who upped his pace to a quick canter. As she rode closer, she narrowed her eyes and tried to figure out just who was there to see her off.

Picking out a towering figure, she grinned. Of course Raoul would be there, and the small figure close to his side was Buri. Kel also recognized the King and Queen and Alanna. They were all that had come to see her depart, although she had a hunch that the only reason more people hadn't come was because the whole thing had been kept very quiet.

Kel slowed Peachblossom to a walk as she approached the only other people on horseback. She looked at them out of the corner of her eyes, aware that they were probably doing the same to her.

She recognized one of the two men; she had worked in close quarters with him a few times, although they had never actually had a conversation. Evin Larse was tall — over six feet — and possessed shortish blond hair that was halfway to light brown. At the moment, he was talking to Buri, and his voice was a pleasant one: even, deep, and humorous. When he grinned at one of Buri's comments, he revealed a smile that was rather lopsided, along with a chipped lower tooth.

Kel had never seen the man on the other side of Evin before in her life, so she assumed he must be the mage — Coel Revin. He was tall as well, putting him at least three inches taller than Kel, and had longer, raven black hair that curled gently around his face. His skin was pale, paler than almost anyone she had seen before. Coel glanced up at her approach, staring at her with eyes the color of the sky after all the light has almost fled — dark, dark blue and as deep as the spaces between the stars, so deep you could almost fall into them. Kel blinked, taken aback.

"Kel!" Raoul cried, his dark face breaking into a grin. "For the first time in your life, I thought you were going to be late!" Coel gazed down at his horse again, and Kel ripped her eyes away.

"Glad to see you didn't place any money on it," Kel retorted. "You should know by now — I'm always on time."

Buri chuckled.

"Now that you're here, Keladry, may we begin?" The king's voice cut through their good-natured conversation. Kel looked at him, a blush staining her cheeks. She hadn't realized there was anything that needed to be started. She nodded quickly, and caught a glimpse of Raoul hiding his smile.

The king unrolled a scroll he had been carrying. "Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, Gold Circle Adept Coel Revin, and Commander Evin Larse, you are about to embark upon a quest for the good of your country and the people in it. Can you handle that responsibility?"

"Yes," answered Evin and Coel, with Kel a beat behind them. She felt the blush raise higher. _Why didn't anyone tell me it was going to be so formal_? she thought passionately.

"I bless you with the power of the Crown, and send you forthwith to fulfill your duties as subjects and trained fighters of Tortall. May Mithros and the Goddess be with you as you journey."

"Thank you, my liege," said Evin and Coel, and again, Kel was a little bit behind.

Raoul stepped towards her, and Kel took that to mean that the ceremony was over. He moved next to Peachblossom, saying, "You behave. I have to say goodbye." Turning his coal-black eyes upwards to Kel's face, he continued. "Well, Kel, I'd wish you good luck, but by now I know you don't need it. You're too good to need luck. Just don't get yourself killed." Kel nodded solemnly without cracking a smile, but humor danced in her hazel eyes. They gripped arms, and Raoul moved away from her.

Alanna strode up to her. "Please, Kel," she began softly. "If you find what killed Numair, I want it — or him, or her — destroyed. Kill as many people as you have to, but if something exists that is that powerful, it has no right to continue." Kel blinked, surprised by the vehemence in the small woman's voice, and she gripped arms.

Beside Kel, Buri was speaking softly to Evin, giving her own farewell. With a frown, Kel noticed that no one was speaking to her other companion, Coel. She nudged Peachblossom forward the few steps and said, "Don't you have anyone to see you off?"

He glanced up at her again, and Kel caught a flash of some emotion in his eyes that she couldn't place. "No."

"Didn't they have time to come? Your parents, or–"

"My parents are dead," he said flatly, without feeling.

Kel blinked, taken aback. "Oh," she said hesitantly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Coel replied steadily. "They were weak bastards."

And with that, he kicked his midnight stallion into through the North Gate.

Kel stared after him, completely flummoxed. She watched his mount trot away, hooves kicking up little puffs of dust on the dry road.

A loud, metallic clang sounded behind her. Kel strained, turning around in the saddle to face the outside of the North Gate.

She swallowed, feeling suddenly and inexplicitly apprehensive. _There's no turning back now,_ said a small voice in her head. _You follow this to its end, or die trying._

Melting back into her surroundings, Kel became aware of a set of hoofbeats matching her own. She stifled a gasp of surprise – she hadn't expected anyone so close.

Evin Larse grinned his crooked grin at her and extended a large, bony hand. "Evin Larse," he said cheerfully. "I don't believe we've been formally introduced."

Kel gripped his warm palm. "Keladry of Mindelan," she responded, cracking a hesitant smile of her own. Evin didn't try to test her strength, as so many men did, and his bright blue gaze was unchallenging but intelligent.

"I see we've got ourselves an antisocial companion," Evin remarked, gesturing to Coel. He seemed unruffled by that realization. Kel let out a nervous giggle, then immediately bit her lip and frowned – she had never felt the need to titter before. Why should she start now?

Kel and Evin rode together, exchanging polite conversation regarding their mutual friends. Coel continued to ride ahead, hunched over and radiating hostility.

After about half an hour, the group fell into an uncomfortable silence that continued for several hours. The strain of not making a sound almost thickened the air around the group until it was hard to breathe.

Dust floated up into Kel's throat, and she coughed, a loud, harsh noise after the deafening silence. Both men jumped. Evin looked at her with his bright blue eyes wide open, almost as if he was surprised she was there. Coel deliberately turned around slowly and fixed her with a withering glare. Kel tried to meet his eyes in her best Yamani Lump face, but to her horror she discovered she couldn't keep her eyes flat any longer.

After Coel turned around, Kel tried to get her brain around this new development. _Why_, she thought, _am I suddenly unable to hide my emotions any more?_ The answer came to her in a flash. She had been living in Tortall for over nine years now, and she hadn't seriously used her Yamani Lump face since the end of the Scanran War. Her skill of unreadable eyes was gone, although a blank face was still easy for her to put on.

Kel swallowed. _This could make things very difficult_.

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Gah. There you are. It's taken me weeks and weeks to get this up, and I still don't really like how it ended, but it seems like all you people have been waiting long enough and deserve a little tidbit. There will be more coming, and however much I would like to say "in the near future" I really don't think that would be prudent, seeing as how it probably won't be. But oh well! Enjoy life.

Teehee.


	4. Hiatus

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Joy and rapture! My birthday was the 24th! Everyone exult and revel in the glory that is my sixteenth birthday! Yay for that! And in honor of my birthday, I have written another chapter _extremely_ quickly. So have fun with that while it lasts, because we all know I'm returning to my old, horrible posting schedule direct.

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Hiatus

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Kel halted Peachblossom at the eighth hour of the night, as the sun sank low behind far off hills and cast everything in a brilliant crimson glow. Neither of her companions realized she had stopped, so she called out, "Hey! Guys?"

Both men turned, Evin looking expectant and Coel wearing what she was already beginning to think of as his characteristic glare. Kel continued. "I think we should stop here for the night." When no one responded, she prompted them. "Because if we keep going we could miss a turnoff, or something? Yes? I think so?"

Evin looked around and shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

Coel fixed her in his gaze and spoke civilly for the first time. "If that's what you want."

Kel forced herself past the strangeness of Coel's answer and pasted a smile on her face. "Great. Let's unpack the tents and get them set up." She dismounted.

"No problem," Coel said. He snapped his fingers. Kel turned to look at him in just enough time to see streamers of dark red fire flow from his hands.

She jumped back from her saddlebags as the fire flowed around them. Peachblossom nickered uneasily, and Kel stroked his neck, whispering, "I feel the same way." Coel's Gift teased her saddlebags open and drew out two tents, simultaneously drawing food out of Evin's saddlebags.

The tents flew to the ground, then writhed and reformed, perfectly set up. Stones grated against the rough dirt to a circle shape, and a fire sprung to life inside the circle. Food prepared itself and fluttered to the fire to cook.

Coel snapped again, and his Gift disappeared, leaving behind a fully functional campsite.

Kel gaped. _He throws around his power like it was nothing!_ she thought, astounded. _Numair always took care to only use his Gift for important things, not everyday tasks._

"Well, isn't that something." Kel turned to face the speaker and found Evin standing behind her, holding his horse's reins. He looked totally relaxed, but his eyes waxed hard and as wary as she felt.

Coel actually smiled, albeit a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It comes in handy sometimes." He dismounted and gestured, and more fire sailed from his fingertips and picketed his horse. Coel gestured to Kel and Evin's mounts, but both of them gripped the reins tighter.

"I'll do it myself, thanks," said Kel. She frowned. It almost seemed as if she had met Coel before, but for the fact she knew she hadn't.

"As will I," added Evin.

Coel shrugged, his dark eyes unreadable. "Have it your way."

Kel and Evin exchanged glances before leading their horses beside Coel's stallion. "What he just did is a bad thing," Evin murmured to Kel. "No one I know throws around power like that."

"Me neither," whispered Kel. She was still a little unsettled.

"I think we should keep a closer watch on him. I don't know why the king chose him for such an important mission," Evin continued, his bright blue eyes boring into her, a sharp contrast from Coel's dark ones.

Kel nodded and turned away. _All these blue eyes make me nervous_, she thought.

The two of them joined Coel at the fire. Evin twisted his long legs into a tailor's seat, as Coel had already done. Kel tried to fit her legs in a comfortable position.

"Three tall people around a small fire doesn't seem to work very well," commented Evin, grinning. Coel chuckled, and Kel grinned in return.

"Here," said Coel. He waved his hand, and food from the fire levitated to plates, which raced to the three of them.

"Could you stop doing that?" Kel asked.

Coel looked at her with genuine surprise. "Whyever would I want to do _that_?" he asked.

"It It's very unnerving. Having things fly about, wherever you wish. I'm just not used to people wielding their power so freely. At least, can you stop until I know you a bit better?" Kel spoke hesitantly, and only met his eyes at the end of her query. Evin sat quietly, watching everything but saying nothing.

"What is there about me to know?" Coel challenged. "We've been thrown together on a ill-organized mission for a few weeks. It's not as if we're lovers, or friends even. Everything you need to know about me was listed on that little sheet of paper we all received."

"Still," Kel retorted. "It would make me happier. And I _do_ think we should be interested in one another. We _are_ going to be living together for the next few weeks, as you said."

"Of course," Coel drawled, dark blue eyes steady on her face. "Anything to make you happy."

"Look, Master Revin," Kel began, exasperated.

Coel interrupted. "Please. I am Coel."

Kel rolled her eyes. "Coel. Whatever." She started again. "As much you seem to dislike it, you, Evin and I are a team, are a group, for the gods know how long. Until we return to Corus. You two are the only people I'm counting on to back me up for as long. I believe that I should, at the very least, know enough about you to decide whether you'll stay and fight for me, for Evin, for all of us, if the need arises, or if you'll run and leave us to fight alone."

Coel stared at her, saying nothing. A deafening silence reigned over the small group, the popping and crackling of the fire the only noise. Kel's gaze didn't waver.

Finally, Coel spoke. "I am no coward. I will stay with you until I die, or until we return. I will not run. You may count on that, Mindelan."

Kel froze.

__

Joren.

The coldness, the arrogance, the hostility and haughtiness. Calling her Mindelan instead of her given name. Coel was Joren, in reversal. Joren, recreated with darkness. Dark hair. Dark blue eyes instead of icy pale. Where Joren was light, Coel was dark.

"I won't leave you either," Evin said quietly. Kel jumped, tore herself away from her realization and back to the small fire. She had forgotten where she was.

She swallowed, quickly regaining her composure, and nodded. "So I thought. And _that_ is why the king stuck us together. None of us will run." She began to eat. After a short while, both men ate with her. The tension hung in the air, slightly dissipated but still very much in evidence.

"So, Mindelan," Coel said suddenly. "If you want to know my past, shouldn't you return the favor?"

"What do you mean?" Kel asked quietly.

"Shouldn't you tell me about _your _past?"

Kel looked at him. "If I do, will you be civil to me?"

Coel smirked coldly. "To the best of my abilities. Spill."

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything you want me to tell you."

Kel sighed. "I lived in the Yamani Isles 'til I was–"

"Not _that_ shit." Kel looked at Coel, who continued to speak. "I know all that from that _stupid_ letter, and from other sources. I want to know the important stuff."

Staring at him, Kel began again. "I'm afraid of heights. Not so much any more, but I used to be terrified." Coel didn't speak, so she kept going. "I don't care when I kill people. I used to feel bad, or guilty, or something, but I lost that, somewhere during the Scanran War, and now I just don't care. And that scares me as well." She paused. "I really can't think of anything else you'd need to know."

"What about your love life?" he prodded.

Kel blinked. "That's my personal business! There's no reason for you to need to know _that_!"

"I know," Coel said, and leaned backwards smugly.

Looking at him, Kel felt something inside of her tighten. She wanted to smack that conceited look off his face. She felt her face harden, and she began to speak again. "I was with Cleon of Kennan for three years. We were going to marry, but his mother arranged a marriage with an heiress – Cleon's fief needed the money. After that, I went around with Domitan of Masbolle, until we decided it wasn't working and had a mutual breakup."

"And did you have sex with either of them?" Coel asked.

Kel glared at him. _You know he doesn't care, he's just doing it to piss you off. You can stop this now, you don't need to tell him anything. You have choices – you can refuse, you can lie_ she thought. But something deep inside her wouldn't let her back down.

"Not with Cleon. Yes with Dom," she stated coldly.

"I see," Coel drawled.

"Your turn."

"I grew up on the streets of Hinalda. If you think Corus can be rough, you're wrong. Hinalda is the Midway of the world." His eyes got a faraway look for the smallest fraction of time before he continued. "My parents worked for the Thief Lord, and every time they did something wrong, they'd take me along when they were summoned to him and use me as an excuse for their errors. They begged forgiveness. They groveled at his throne. It made me sick. When I was ten, they screwed up big time, and the Thief Lord took their heads. I wandered around on the streets for two years, until I came to the Brothers of the Sun. They took me in and trained me."

"And _your_ love life?" Kel shot at him.

"There were no women inside the temple, so I picked up prostitutes," Coel stated flatly. Kel blinked. Silesnce reigned again.

"Well, I guess I should add my lot to that confused pile of crap," Evin said. "I am afraid of birds."

Kel let a small laugh escape before looking at him incredulously. "Birds? You're serious?"

Evin nodded. "Dead serious."

"In the Goddess's name, _why?_"

He shuddered. "They have beady eyes that always watch you, and the way the walk, with their heads just bobbing they're devious little bastards. Of course, it doesn't help that I was mobbed by seagulls when I was six."

"Really?" Kel was delighted.

"Really." Evin said, mock-sadly. They grinned at each other.

"So our dear friend the Commander is afraid of things we eat," said Coel, his eyes flicking from Evin to Kel. Both turned and glared at him. Coel waved his arms. "Don't mind me. Continue."

Evin sighed, drawing a wary gaze away from Coel. "My mother was murdered when I was fourteen, of a bandit raid, which was what drew me to the Riders. I feel no sympathy for bandits." He shrugged. "I've been in the Riders ever since. And _my_ love life," he continued, before anyone could say anything, "I was with a girl named Miri for three years. We were engaged, but she broke it off. I'm still not quite sure why. And yes, Coel, I did have sex with her." Evin leaned back, finished.

"Are you happy now?" Kel demanded of Coel.

"Very," he said.

"Well," Evin began, "Now that we know the deepest and most embarrassing secrets of each other, I am going to bed." He stood up, then paused. "Now, there are two tents. I'm assuming Kel gets one to herself?"

"Unless she wants to share with one of us," said Coel, smirking.

Kel glared at him.

"I'll take that as a no," Evin said, grinning. "Goodnight to both of you."

"And to you," Kel replied. Coel saluted him ironically.

Evin brushed past Kel on the way to his tent, and she caught a glimpse of a small glass ball in one of his pockets. It was a strange color, a medium gray between white and black.

__

What a strange thing to carry around, Kel thought vaguely. She shook her head.

"I think I'll be going to bed as well," Kel told Coel.

He fixed her with a steady gaze. "Watch out for nightmares."

"I'll be sure to," she said, rising. Kel threw her plate on the ground. "After I'm gone, you can do your power-flaunting and clean up."

"If that's what you want," Coel answered. Turning, Kel walked into her tent, feeling Coel's eyes on her until the tent flap fell.

As she got ready for bed, Kel remembered the letter explaining her companions, and at the same time recalled her short time riding with Evin, back when she was a squire. Evin had a truth crystal. _That must be his truth crystal_, she thought sleepily.

She continued to get ready for sleep. It wasn't until she had curled comfortably into her bedroll that she remembered what else she knew of Evin's truth crystal, at least as it had been explained to her: it turned black if someone lied in its presence, gray if the lie had a touch of truth.

Kel blinked.

The crystal had been dark gray.

One of them had lied.

----------

****

Holy god. I wrote that INCREDIBLY quickly. But I like it. And I like Coel. But I'm sure some of you don't. Teehee. That's the point, sillies! Now, please, please review, because I'm getting extremely dismayed by the amount of reviews I've received. *looks at readers with puppy dog eyes* Come on people! You know how it is! So review, and make me happy! It's my birthday sort of. Be nice! 


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